Bohemion Rhapsody
by Lateralus - Infinite Nightmare
Summary: Shinji is left a broken man without hope and on the brink of total insanity, visiting a friend in a mental institution he is given an certain item that could mend his and his friend soul and entwine them forever AxS, Formerly No Leaf Clover...
1. Chapter 1

Summary: After Instrumentality, Shinji is left a broken man without hope and on the brink of total insanity, visiting a friend in a mental institution he is given an certain item that could mend his and his friend soul and entwine them forever

**A/N: After my crappy attempts at an OC Love Hina fic, I've decided to go a little darker with this Evangelion fic trust and believe there are NO OC's in this fic, Only supporting characters and the less than obvious cameo appearance. But it's been so long since watching Evangelion, I'm not exactly sure that I can even remember some things**

**Disclaimer: All Characters Belonged to Their Respective Owners, I own nothing of this fan-fiction, Nor am I paid for writing it.**

No Leaf Clover

Chapter 1

Instrumentality, a moment that will live on in various history textbooks and the hearts of conspiracy theorist forever. The pool of LCL holds memories for the boy who stands before it. Shinji Ikari looks into the pool of LCL, attempting to remember the events that happened only years ago...The choice that he was given, The way Asuka laid on the in the bed in her comatose state his...rather sexually based reaction during the incident, and his sudden reaction when she finally woke up after Instrumentality his hands clenched onto her throat. The image of her finally waking up from her state and her placing her slender hands on his cheek burrowed into his mind. The words then instantly began to ring into his head.

"Disgusting..."

Three years...Three years since the choice that changed his life forever, but the pain never got better, only worse as time drug on and quickly made Shinji feel like his bitch, Tied to life by lock and chain and a mean whip. Though everybody eventually returned to live their lives, nothing was the same, It could never be like it was, not that before was exactly great...but it was better, much better than this. He finally lifted himself up from his perch near the LCL and began his slow and thought filled walk back to Misato's Peugeot.

Misato was in the passenger seat as she saw Shinji walking to the car. About six months ago Shinji decided to get his permit, when Misato asked why Shinji stressed it was because she drove enough and he wanted to get the feel for himself, but she knew exactly why he did so. She knew, but decided not to pester him about it, he had a bunch of problems right now and he does not need her budging into his already destroyed life.

The time it took for everyone to return from the lake of LCL was amazingly short, It happened over a span of a month, Starting with Misato, being the first one out of the LCL she saw how broken both teens we're, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome couldn't even describe their condition, Then about a week later, Touji and Hikari returned, Followed by the rest of the residence in Tokyo-2, To this moment there are still people who come out of the LCL a few foreigners mostly, But those who did not return was possibly those who did not want to or was too weak to.

Gendo the mastermind of Instrumentality seemed to not want to come back. He did do this for Yui after all, and possibly still looking for her in the heavens, If there even is a heaven, after Instrumentality, Shinji faith in his religion seem to whither away, He did not see how god can literally treat his creatures like this and them immediately start everything over. He opened the door into the car and sat in he sighed. Misato attempted to say something but silenced herself as she decided to not speak on it. He stuck the keys into the car's ignition and turned it as the car lifted from his sleep. He quickly drove off.

Every other Friday he did this going through the suffering of remembering the event leading up to all of this, As they drove through the town, the people walking to their jobs, talking on their cellphones, listening to their music, going into stores, just like before Instrumentality, every time he drove by he wondered how everybody including his friend Touji, and Kensuke, could return to normality so easily.

"We're here..."

Misato pointed toward the building as Shinji stopped the vehicle seeing the building. The words stung his heart every time he saw it. It haunts him everyday he has to see it. It made his suddenly strained and cracked heard break instantly and everyday he fixed it, It broke even worse when he sees it.

'Peaceful Forest Mental Institution'

Shinji then stepped out of the car with a sigh on his face, Misato stepped into the driver seat and looked at Shinji. "You are have a strange sense of bravery to be able to see her like this..." Misato said to Shinji with a slight frown on her face. Shinji face lacked any true emotion he simply nodded. "I'll be back for dinner....see you later Misato..." He said. Misato sighed looking down at the road ahead. She then drove off, without saying anything...It hurt to see Shinji like that, ever since she returned from the LCL she worried about Shinji, and wanted him to live the normal life he deserved. Though she thought it was sad to sad that the chances of that we're slim to none.

Back to Shinji

He walked down the corridors of the institution with a frown on his face, ever since he started to visit they seem more familiar. He then stopped as he turned to the receptionist, "May I please see Asuka Sohryu?" He asked. The nurse looked at him with a sigh, when everybody returned from the LCL, Asuka mental condition changed from completely silent and thoughtless, to Blabber and violence, which in itself was bad...but it was the DIRECTION of the violence that was the problem, A few months ago Asuka was actually caught attempting to hang herself from her bedroom window.

Luckily Shinji caught her just before she was able to do so, Forcing her away from the rope he also found various cuts on her wrist and legs. At first they decided to take her to a Psychologist, unfortunately her violence continued to not only herself but to those who tried to stop her, including the Shrink who was badly hurt by her actions. He and his collegues decided that mental institution was best for her, Misato regrettably accepted.

The nurse gave him a clipboard, like she had for the last three months. "Sign here..." she simply said. He began to write his name down on the paper, Sliding it back to her she signed again. She cannot name how many times she saw him here, It was depressing. She didn't find it possible for someone to care about another person, so much, For the last 2 months he's began to visit her and he's never missed not coming here, every other Sunday he was on time.

"Go ahead Mr. Ikari..." She said. He nodded and went past the metal detectors when a giant beep was heard, a security guard appeared in front of him blocking his way. He then emptied his pockets instantly as he knew what the beeping was, His house keys, he placed it in the holding bucket as he walked through again. Walking down the corridors hearing the screams and yells of the patients. He frowned looking at all of them luckily Asuka wasn't among the bunch who's hope for Normality was not lost but became a near impossibility.

He then walked to the next section, these people was usually the military nuts and the people who have survived suicide attempts. He walked around the open section as the patients walked around like they had no true problems some we're playing Ping Pong in silence others watching TV, but she was not out there, she never was. He took a left from the Ping Pong table and stepped near a door. He slowly opened it and walked in seeing his red headed partner.

She wore her yellow sundress that she had on in their first meeting, her hair was a complete mess and heavily ragged. Her blue eyes usually electric and alluring was now dull and nearly lifeless. Her skin which used to be creamy and soft was now roughed with scars and pale from lack of activity and sunlight. Hearing his footsteps she looked up at him with a depressed and completely scary frown.

"Why are you here?"

She whispered this with so much harshness, Shinji had no idea that he actually cringed when he heard that. She hurt him so much both physically and psychologically, but yet he stayed with her for what he does not know. She looked back down as she did not want to see his face. She felt that something about just made her feel, dirty and worthless. She stopped thinking for herself a long time ago.

"I'm not sure..." He said in all truths he did not know why he was here, at first it was only to be polite. But it slowly became something that he was just unable to describe. Asuka looked look at him with disappointment and looked back down at the cold and tiled floor, She hated when he said that, everyday he came she asked the same question, And everyday it's the same answer. She said nothing though as she knelt back down in her sitting fetal position.

This was usually like this, he visits they have no more than a three sentence conversation and they sit for the other 30 minutes. While she is not mentally insane, she seems completely detached from human life. At least that what seems, she then finally looks up at Shinji and frowns. They usually couldn't find anything to say, her self anger and his shyness made it impossible.

Until right now

"Why does he care?"

Shinji looked at her, with one eyebrow, she was not talking to anything right now she walk talking to herself her lonely c self. "I cannot get him to leave me along...he just keeps pushing me...why can't that spineless wimp just leave me alone" She asked still whispering to the doll. She never did this before now in the two months he's been visiting her. "He's doesn't care he's just rubbing it all in your face, He's rubbing your broken soul in your heart..." As she continued her...Conversation.

"For god sakes he masturbated over your unconscious body...He's just as much as a freak as you are and he's rubbing it in your face..." She said. "He's always thought he was better than you...and look at you...your rather off proving him right..." She said as she began to laugh hysterically, tears coming from her face, she then began to shake uncontrollably, Her emotions was going out of control.

Shinji began to notice this he had to do something other than sitting here. "Asuka!" He yelled but when he did so her hands clenched onto his neck. She then began to laugh as she did so. "Your pathetic...You spineless wimp you enjoy seeing me like this...powerless and defenseless, you getting a hard-off from this aren't you, Just like after Instrumentality, try to choke me now you sick pervert?" She said laughing. The Orderly's begin to notice this and instantly grabbed her down. Shinji was then forced out of the room by a security guard.

There he was standing in a hallways full of crazy Marines and war vets he sighed sitting down on a chair that was open. Then a red haired male sat down next to him, his pale skin contrast with the freckles on his face, He looked like a Gaijin which was not surprising sometimes the lake of LCL would revive a Gaijin or two. "I can sense life is not going good for you..." He said. Shinji looked at him, He wasn't sure whether to talk to him or otherwise he was in a looney bin after all. The red head looked at him again and smiled holding a bible in his hands. "Don't worry...I'm normal...I'm getting cleared today, here's my papers... "He said showing him the papers proving his removal from the facility.

Shinji looked at and scratched his head still hesitant to talk to him. "Well yeah...a lot is going on and..." He was stopped b the male. "It's spinning around you...yeah I know...I've been there...so...who was you visiting..." He asked, looking down from the male. "A friend...well...I think she's a friend..." He said. The male then frowned. "You are going though a time of uncertainty, a crossroad is placed between your life that you are not sure you are ready for it..." He said. Shinji looked at him, shocked that he hit it right on the money.

"I think I should give you something...." He said as he dropped the bag he was holding and unzipped it. Shinji looked at the man in utter confusion and yet wonder. The man then completely unzipping the bag reached in for a very damaged guitar, It looked like a Gibson Les Paul and it was, It was a Sunburst black and orange, But all of the strings was gone and a pickup seemed to be damaged. "I think you can use this more than I can right now..." He said giving it to him.

Shinji looked at him with a confused face as he held the guitar in his hands, he was not sure what was going on. He just looked at it as the red headed man got up and dusted his head. As if on cue a nurse walked to the man with a smile. "Sir your ride is here..." She said. The man nodded and began to walk off, Shinji looked at him with a confused face as he looked at him leaving. "Wait...what is your name...why are you giving me this?" He asked.

"They call me Dave...See you later!!!" He yelled as the man disappeared from sight. Shinji then looked at the guitar and scratched his head, he then sighed deciding not to think on it and placed it back in the back and picked it up. Seeing that everything has calmed down in Asuka's room he decided to walk back in, but when Shinji was about to open the door he was stopped by the doctor.

"Are you Shinji..." He asked. Shinji stared at the doctor knowing that whatever it was wasn't good, He then nods as the doctor nodded. "We need to talk to you about Asuka's Current condition..." The doctor the sighed seeing Shinji's eyebrow raise up. "Her mental state seem to be deteriorating slowly, she is losing her consciousness on reality, and is beginning to talk to herself in hopes of understanding what is around her...but her voice is not exactly an helpful one...She going to have to stay longer than we thought..." The doctor said.

Shinji sighed knowing what he was saying, He was crushed inside because of the current events. He looked at the doctor who seem to continue. "We cannot allow her to have visitors today until we do a psychological evaluation which we scheduled to be in a week, so you might not be able to see her for about two weeks...your going to have to go..." He said.

Shinji sighed

His life was going through a downhill spiral and fast, in all honesty at this point Shinji looked around seeing the area around him. He was in the Shibuya shopping district, a quiet but very expensive shopping district. After visiting Asuka he usually just walked around until he slowly found his way back home, It gave him time to think, He then looked down at the guitar bag and sighed wondering why a guy would give him a broken guitar.

He then looked up and saw a store that read 'Guitar Center' He heard of the store but he didn't know the actually had any in Tokyo-2, He looked down at his guitar and frowned. 'If I'm going to keep it, I rather fix it up..." He said stepping into the store. When he did he quickly looked around the store was filled with guitar going up and down the wall, He looked around going through small amount of people looking for a sales associate.

All of a sudden he found one, He was wearing a Gilgamesh T-shirt and ripped pants. He was wearing skinny glasses and his right eye was covered by flowing long black hair. "Hey sir..." Shinji said looking at the male, The male looked up at Shinji his glasses hanging from his face giving him a menacing look. The look instantly sent shivers down Shinji's spine. "Uhh...I need replacement parts for my guitar..." He said showing him the guitar bag. The man looked at him and actually smiled. "Oh I thought you was just another kid returning another guitar...the replacement parts are right there..." He said pointing to the back of the store where all of the parts were...

"Thank you..." He said with a quick smile as he walked to the parts, But when he did so he suddenly realized something. He had no idea what he had, but then just as he thought that he heard something behind him. It was the Sales Associate who looked at him with a smile. "I'm guessing this is your first guitar here...let me see what we have here..." He said. He grabbed Shinji's bag and opened it, Shinji feeling slightly embarrassed attempted to stop him before he grabbed the guitar from the bag but it was too late.

The Associate grabbed the guitar and Shinji closed his eyes, hoping not to hear the man's laughter from the condition of the guitar. He did not laugh he simply looked in shock. "How did you get this?" He asked. Shinji shrugged looking and him with a faint frown surprised at his reaction. "I don't know...a man at the institution gave it to me..." He said. The Associate nodded looking at it. "He has to be giving a Novice a Gibson Les Paul...Well the damage doesn't seem to be bad..." He said with a smile.

"I like you...your very quiet...that's a sign of a amazing musician...do you play anything?" He asked. Shinji looked up at him and put his hands behind his head a little. "Cello...Self Taught" He simply said, The Associate looked at him with a confused face, This would be quite a story, a classically self taught Cellist transferring into a guitarist, He had to see this for himself, The Associate could be any more different from Shinji, He had a long brown hair, was actually very muscular which almost seem to rip though his worker's attire and he had a angry yet very cool disposition. "Wow...classical music...so you can already read notes..." He said.

The man then stepped to him. "I'm going to give you DR Hi-Voltage, Dimebag Darrell, Nickel Plated steel stings with a 10-46 gauge, two pairs of Seymour Duncan Livewire guitar pickups, A instructional book with a few good practice songs, there's even a few classical songs...And I'll give to you for the employee discount...at ¥18049" He said. Shinji looked at him with a white face and backed up in shock. "That's discount here?" He asked. The man sighed looking at the boy, "Yeah I was peeved too when I repaired mine...but think about it this way...I'm giving you the soldering iron for free" Shinji looked at him and could only nod and smile meekly

Shinji sighed looking up opening the door to the house, NERV still being a Paramilitary organization, gave heavy pensions to employees and soldiers. When Misato was given her pension she quickly bought a house for them all to live, It was a necessary move, the old apartment had...too much memories...horrid memories that they all agreed that needed to run away from. It was not far from the school and was actually close to where Hikari and Touji lived. He quickly opened the door, and shut on the lights walking into the living room he saw a note on the table.

Shinji

Filling out paperwork for NERV, ¥3000 to order out

Misato

Shinji sighed as he looked in the hallway connecting the living room the the rest of the house It was a nice house, a simple one family home, The living room was placed with the few pictures that did not give then horrid memories. Shinji's and Asuka's room was seat conveniently next to each other, on the right was the bathroom, Misato's room was adjacent of the bathroom and stood right in front of Shinji's door The hallway leading to the kitchen had a sort of drawer inside of the wall that can be used to store household things like for Misato a first aid kit, a tool kit and a bunch of papers and photo album, after grabbing his screwdriver, Shinji looked at the photo album.

He slowly picked it up and opened it seeing that it was nothing in it, Which was not surprising. Photo albums was used to usually keep pictures of remembrance, they really had nothing they really wanted to remember right now. He walked back into the living room, and placed the screwdriver and the soldering iron on the table. Shinji then grabbed his guitar and placed it on the table, he started off by removing the unnecessary guitar strings from the guitar. He then grabbed his soldering iron and made sure it was merely at 30 watts, He grabbed his screwdriver and went to work.

30 minutes later

**A/N: What you actually expected me to type up The WHOLE Process of replacing pickups...I want to give you guys a story not put you guys to sleep**

Shinji sighed looking at his work, with a smile he grabbed the guitar by it's neck and sat it next to him on the couch. He decided to just hang low a little now and watch TV, it was on MTV. He actually didn't like MTV due to it's ironic showing of now Music but reality shows, and if they we're music it was prototypical Pop, Mall Punk, And Rap, But tonight it was different, A program called Headbangers Ball began to show, He thought it was a crazy and manically insane reality show about fighting, but what he heard would change his life forever.

A simple guitar riff combined with the bass riff, it sounded like a classical song, almost inhumanly fast, He was about to close his eyes to enjoy the sound when suddenly, The song exploded into a loud, abrasive sound. Shinji's eyes shot up as he heard the song main riff, he was confused he didn't know what to call this, It was different from any song he had ever heard before and yet. He could hear the classical element he was so into, He began to look at the TV Listening to the song as he did so.

After about 6 minutes the song was over, He was left blown out of his mind and knocked out of his seat, the Information of the song appeared as the video ended. Shinji grabbed a notepad and began to write it down hoping not to lose sight of that perfect song. He wrote it down slowly but neatly in order to make sure that he would not write it incorrectly he wanted to hear more from whoever they was, He smiled looking over the written words as he read over it.

Dream Theater

Panic Attack

Octavarium

Roadrunner Records.

He smiled he did so and quickly walked into his room taking his books and his guitar with him. His room was depressingly bare with nothing on the walls other than the drab tanned wall. He placed the guitar near his wall and the book on his desk and grabbed his laptop from the table, In which he brought with his Military Pension for school assignments, he then opened up his I-Tunes, He decided to look up the band that seem to have piqued his interest, There was a a-lot of albums by the band a lot from the 90's

He was shocked to hear that it was not classical that they was playing, it was a genre in which he heard the name of but never really paid attention to. Heavy Metal, They was part of a sub genre of that category called Progressive Metal, after reading more about them Including Musical influence and others he grabbed his I-Pod From under his desk, When he returned from the LCL he found that he could not find his SDAT player he oh so loved, Misato then decided to buy him a slick new I-Pod Touch with, 130GB of memory.

He plugged it into the computer and used his I-Tunes account to buy four albums from then, Octavarium, Systematic Chaos, Black Clouds and Silver Linings and, Finally what he thought was their most interesting in tern of a Album Cover, Images and Words. It didn't take long for all of the songs to Sync up to his I-Tunes, After doing so he disconnected his I-Pod and laid on the bed, When he did he pressed play and started with Images and Words, In which he heard a song with a strange intro of a combination of Guitar and Piano... He looked at the Song Info

Pull Me Under

Dream Theater

Images and Words

This was going to be interesting metal filled night

**A/N: They are Two Cameo appearances in this Chapter, the First being a rather famous heavy metal guitarist that everybody knows about in some way (They are very few Heavy Metal artist named Dave with red hair...so it shouldn't be THAT hard to guess.). **

**I chose heavy metal because I thought it would be a great genre to cover in the time in which the apocalypse has just occurred and also because of wanted to give Shinji a feeling of individualism and confidence as the story goes along, I also chose it because of Evangelion and Heavy Metal both embracing in someway and sometime Postmodernism.**

**I also decided NOT to make this a songfic, I don't think doing a songfic is best when I just started doing fan-fiction. If you want you can find the songs and play then as Shinji is listening to them, but for now I will only post the song title and info **

**I also made a funny like tidbit about if an Evangelion and other favorite character Listen to heavy metal...you can find it on my profile page. Oh and Please click that little button right below this...I want to know how you guys liked it or if they is anything wrong with it**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All Characters Belonged to Their Respective Owners, I own nothing of this fan-fiction, Nor am I paid for writing it**

No Leaf Clover

Chapter 2

Shinji looked at his hands in slight pain, rough edges around his fingertips. Callouses as some people would call it, It's been almost a week since he obtained his guitar, and it showed in his fingers. Various callouses and cuts surrounded his fingertips with his guitar playing. School had just ended a few weeks ago for summer vacation and Misato was at NERV filing paperwork again. He had time all to himself, and for once it actually felt amazing.

He started of guitar playing learning basic chords and open notes, Which wasn't very hard to him seeing though it was basically like playing notes on his cello, the only difference was strumming. He wasn't sure why a pick came with his pickups before, but he found out unfortunately after strumming for about two hours. His fingers began to draw blood and his hand swelled with pain, He spent the next hour stuffing his hands in ice until the swelling went down.

He also had to learn how to hold the guitar upright, the guitar body facing away from his fret hand. He had a hard time adjusting to his guitar because he was left handed, but he quickly adjusted to playing right hand after a few days. He was now playing basic classical songs and some less faster Heavy Metal songs, He was proud that he had gotten this far in a week, He might go back to the Guitar Center to see if he could get a few more books on playing guitar.

The doorbell rung without any true warning, Shinji who's hand was currently in wraps ran to the door with a quick smile. "Coming..." He said walking to the door. After finally reaching it he grabbed onto the doorknob softly careful not to hurt his hands any worse than what it did. When he opened the door he was actually very surprised on who it was her short blue hair did not match with her pale skin, Her red eyes beams with a slight sense of joy, and she was wearing a white short sleeve button up shirt, and black jeans.

"Hey Shinji!" She said with a giant smile, Rei was the very last person to appear from the LCL, but when she did her personality was...different. Instead of the emotionless and monotone puppet, She was very loud and rebellious, She was prone to get herself in trouble, She was quite the troublemaker because of it. It was not a normal day at school if Rei did not pull a fire alarm or or wired the school intercom to play rather inappropriate sounds during lunch and make all of the kids vomit.

"Hey Rei come on..." He said with a smile as he moved away from the door, she quickly walked into the house. Rei was always a frequent visitor before and after Asuka left, and seeing her here today was not surprising in the very least, it was damn near expected if it wasn't for the fact that Shinji was not busy. Rei sat down on the couch only to instantly get back out letting out a slight yelp in pain she then looked down seeing the culprit, a the broken guitar pickup from Shinji's Les Paul.

Shinji laughed as he saw what happened he grabbed the pickup and quickly placed it in his pocket. "Sorry...I was working on something..." He said. "What would require a Electric Guitar Pickup?" Rei asked looking at him with a single eyebrow up as she wrapped her arms across the other and began to tap her feet acting as if she wanted answers. Shinji smiled turning his back at her. "Just something for a friend...You want something to eat I made breakfast a few minutes ago..." He said with a quick smile.

Rei saw that he was doing he was playing off her question, he was actually never one to play off question by any means. She smiled as she walked into the kitchen seeing that he made a sort of a American breakfast today, Bacon, Eggs, with two pieces of toast each. She smiled sitting down at the table as she instantly took a bite of the toast. Shinji looked at her with a shocked face. "That's my breakfast!!" He yelled. Rei turned to him and smiled slightly.

"You did ask if I wanted something to eat right...well here's me eating..." She said with a giant smile on her face, He sighed at her, he had extra but the principles was principles. He sighed as he began to make himself another plate, Rei giggled slightly, as she seen the Shinji before her. "So what was the Pickup for?" She asked. Shinji looked at her with a confused face, she just does not give up does she? He sighed getting his hands out of the pan. She then saw the bandages on his arm and instantly frowned.

"Your hands what happened?" She asked in concern, looking at the bandaged hands, she was concerned for her 'brother' in a sense. She knew that at one point Shinji had a crush on her, but she kept away because she knew what she was to him. A simple clone of his mother and Lilith, The 2nd angel, and she knew that made her in a mad scientist was, his sister and that wouldn't feel right in that sense.

"Nothing just...hang on..." He said with a quick smile running off into his room, Rei looked with a confused face. Was he that afraid of talking about his wounds that he just ran off, Maybe it was just her but Shinji was...different from before, a lot different, he was not budging at all of her question, he also was quick to keep goings his thoughts was quicker as she saw that he was more eager to speak. She got her answer to her question when Shinji walked out of his room with his Gibson Les Paul in his hands.

She instantly caught onto what happened and smiled at it, She let out a fake giant breath of air as if she was thinking something else. "Wow...I actually thought you was cutting yourself...but this is nice..." She said in a joking manner, Shinji looked at her with a laugh and sat the guitar on the side of his chair, He then proceeded to get his breakfast. "Not funny...not at all..." He said with a chuckle. Rei laughed slightly as she saw him sit down at the table to get his breakfast.

"Well surprise surprise Shinji got himself a guitar...when did my brother become a 'rock star'..." She said pinching his cheeks, almost like a big sister would do to her brother. He laughed smacking her hand away as he began to eat slowly starting with his bacon. "It's not like that, I rather off playing more classical stuff and maybe adding more alternative and progressive stuff as I go..." He said with a smile checking his hands again, Rei then laughed at him as she added up what happened. "Your not playing an acoustic guitar, "You know you need to have a pick..." She said.

Shinji looked at her in confusion how did she know what happened to his hands, She laughed looking at him and answered as if she was able to read his mind. "I do read you know...it's also common sense bloodied hand from using a guitar is usually caused by beginners who think they could play fast...but that usually doesn't happen unless you play heavy metal..." She said scratching his head. "Well...I do play a Little Dream Theater, and I just heard of a band called Tool, that seem to be very good..."

Rei looked at him with one eyebrow up and crossed her leg around the other as she folded her arms together. "Okay...Who are you and what have you done with Shinji-san?" She said with a serious face on. Shinji looked at her with a confused face. "Uhh...What are you talking about?" Rei slammed her hand on the table and looked at him with a serious face. "Your confidence, your not stuttering when I play with you and your not apologizing..." She said, Shinji looked at her with a confused face she was actually right, but he felt no change whatsoever.

"Funny...I actually didn't notice it..." He said with a smile as he finished the last of his toast, He then heard a beep from his wrist, he looked at the watch and checked in shock. "Oh shit...I have to go..." He said, he then grabbed his guitar and placed it in his bag quickly he then unwrapped his hands looking at them closely to make sure nothing was wrong with his hands. They seem fine now as long as he use a pick, Which he had no problem doing go knows he didn't want to hurt his hands again.

"Where are you going?"

"Visit Asuka...you want to come along?"

Rei said nothing turning away, She knew how Asuka one felt about her and didn't think at this moment that Asuka would even want to be bothered with her. Though she is no longer a controlled puppet, she does not want to remind Asuka of any horrid memories that she already had in her heart. Rei then looked back at Shinji with the first frown he's seen from her in quite a while.

"I rather not..."

Shinji nodded simply understanding why she denied the request, this was just as hard as the people around him that just himself. He would dare not be selfish to other because of his feelings, It was just what his father would do and he dared never to be like him. He smiled as he began to walk out the door when Suddenly Rei lifted her body out of her seat her red eyes looking with understanding as she looked at Shinji.

"I'll walk there with you..."

The walk there was silent, mostly because of Shinji's ears being invaded by the sounds the music from His I-Pod which was strapped to his pants for easy access, Rei sighed it was nice to see Shinji actually smiling. As much to her surprise of his new personality, She was equally enjoyed of seeing Shinji actually enjoying. Just for curiosity she looked down near his pants pocket to see the Information of the song

Tool

Parabola

Lateralus

Now she was more into Classical and Jazz, not Heavy Metal, but to each their own, It was a good thing at least he was doing something. Seeing Shinji just literally destroying himself was saddening to her, but he is changing, slowly yet surely. The transformation would be a good thing for him, regardless how it would be a lot better than this.

"We're Here..."

She looked up to see The Mental Institution, It was exactly what she didn't want to see. She sighed as she turned her back away. "I'll See you later Shinji..." She said walking off away from him. Shinji looked at her with a scratch of his head, he wasn't sure why Rei was not able to see Asuka, but he always wondered. It was definitely hard for him to go see her, but he pulled through for her.

'Maybe it's harder for Rei because they never really had a friendship before.'

He turned around seeing the door to the Mental Institution and began his stride toward the door.

Shinji quickly walked in to see Asuka playing chess with herself, She seemed to do this a lot nowadays, maybe because she always needed to think what was around her. She did not turn even after noticing Shinji was there, She really didn't want to see him right now not after last week.

"Hey Asuka...How is everything?"

She still showed not emotions but quickly used her eyes to scan Shinji, This was the first time he actually said something during his visit that wasn't a response to her question or a quick sorry. She looked directly at him as he said this, her Midnight blue irises looked at him with a hint of wonder that she had never had before.

"Shinji?"

She gasped in shock as she looked at him, he was...different, instead of his black pants and white short sleeved shirt that was his school uniform. He was wearing a tight black T-Shirt that hung to his body with a tight feel, but not to tight, almost an athletic fit, and he was also wearing dark blue jeans with black stitches near the pocket and belt line, The belt tightly around his waist as the bottom of the pants snugged perfectly at the side of his shoes.

"Nice to see you too Asuka..."

He smiled sitting down next to her with a smile on his face, Asuka stared at him totally confused on what was happening with him. He was smiling at her, almost as if he hadn't a care in the world. It scared her at first, yet it made her comfortable, She looked at him with a frail of confusion, wonder, and fear, This was far from the Shinji she knew, but yet she felt more comfortable.

"I've met a guy name Dave last week have you heard of him, he was staying here for a few days..." Shinji said, Asuka looked away from Shinji, She wasn't sure if she could face him like this. She was actually jealous of how was he feeling. She then frowned looking down at the ground again, Her eyes shedding tears slowly through her pain.

"He's forgot about me mother..."

Shinji looked at Asuka, it seems like she was starting to talk to herself again. He felt almost hopeless as he saw her like this. But alas he stayed near her continuing to talk hoping that she would listen to him. He smiled again looking at her with his chocolate brown eyes.

"He gave me this guitar...at first I didn't know what to do with it but then I began to play it, I've gotten into a-lot of music at this..."

"_I told you he would forget Asuka...He does not care for you...he's just like everyone else..."_

Asuka continued to talk to herself, holding her head as she did so. She seemed to be at it again with, but it seemed this time, The voice was like a second person, and she swore she called it her mother. Asuka turned to him her eyes looking with pain and sorrow, Shinji's heart suddenly sunk seeing her like this it was horrible to him but some strange reason he did not know why.

"Why are you here?"

She asked him that hurtful question again, but this time, he found a way to answer her. Shinji turned around to see her pale face with a giant smile. "Because I care...." he said. Asuka looked at him with a confused face, what was she supposed to think? Did he really care about her, was he lying...She still was not sure, she said nothing as she faced away from him. Shinji looked down for a quick second and placed his fret hand on the neck of the guitar.

"You mind if I play a song..."

Asuka said nothing looking at the wall again, she was having an inner battle with herself right now. Her thoughts swirling around her head in a violent and wretched mix of anger, confusion, and depression.

"_He doesn't care...he's lying..."_

"That's not true...he's here..."

"_To ridicule what is left of you...deal with it...he wants you dead like everyone else...He almost watch you die when you fought those Mass Production EVA's"_

"No he didn't know...not Shinji look how much he is taking for me.

"_He only feels sorry for you...it's only pity, he has not reason for you to live..."_

"But he must think something if he's here."

"_He just want you gone, why don't you make his wish come true..."_

Asuka was about to respond when she heard something beautiful coming from the person behind her it was an elegant sound with a strange combination of heavy sound with an elegant classical and progressive feel. She turned around to see Shinji slowly strumming on his guitar his fingers trailing across the frets slowly his eyes affixed to the guitar below him, his face full of emotions Asuka has never saw from him before confidence, Calm, and happiness....

Happiness

Something that Asuka hungered for ever since Instrumentality, So many people appearing from the LCL as if nothing happened it was sickening, how can nobody care about what happened, how could nobody care about her. But maybe somebody did care about her, Maybe she was just too busy making his life a miserable hell.

He finished the song with a giant smile on his face, his fingers leaving the fretboard. He looked up at Asuka with a smile on his face, Asuka staring into his chocolate brown orbs, as they shone from the lamppost in the room. She never seen this side of Shinji and there was something different about it, something that left a sense of mystery and wonder.

"How did I do?"

Asuka looked at him and was about to respond when, an orderly appeared from the doorway, She smiled seeing the two teens in the room. "I'm sorry to say but visiting hours are over...Your going to have to leave Mr. Ikari..." She said, Asuka looked at her with a guilty frown, and then looked back at Shinji who was already up from the floor and walking out of the door, Asuka began to look back at him with pleading and curious eyes. Suddenly Shinji instantly turned around smiled at Asuka he then waved goodbye to her.

"Take care..."

He then walked out of the room shutting the door behind him with a soft click. Asuka looked at the door in wonder her face staring as if something was bound to happen at any moment.

"_Are you actually going to wait for that Idiot?"_

"It was so beautiful, a little half done, but it was amazing"

"_You make me sick, and you call yourself a Sohryu...he's just going to leave you...just like everyone else..."_

'Your wrong...he won't leave me...he might be the only person who actually care...'

_'He just think your hot stuff, he literally stripped you of you clothes and masturbated to your unconscious body and now your telling me you actually care?'_

Asuka did not respond to the voice on command, but she quickly nodded no, but doing so she felt wrong almost damned there guilty. She knew she was lying to himself but she just couldn't stop thinking what she thought. She wanted so badly to join her mother, where ever she was, she couldn't stand all of this pain anymore. It was horrible, she hated Rei, the doll that took the last of her pride, she hated, Misato, pretending like she always cared, But more of all She hated herself. But there was one thing she couldn't say she hated, and that was the boy who had just left the room. She was irked by his perfection, his complete cowardice, and his ability to pilot EVA without the want to do so. His Perverted actions also made her angry especially his sudden reaction to her unconscious body during her damaged state.

But yet...

She could not find a way to say she hate him, and his sudden confidence, It enticed with with feelings that she had only felt a few times in her Life. Safeness, caring, hope, and a feeling that she had not felt since she had first met Kaji, and it scared the holy crap out of her.

Shinji walked the town with a unreadable face, He was stirred with confusion on what was going on with Asuka. Yet when he played that song, He felt energized and happy, but when he saw Asuka's face so full of wonder, and curiosity.

He might have been lying to herself, but he swore he saw a glint of happiness in her, true happiness and with it?

Hope

He walked by the store he was at last week with a smile on his face, 'Guitar Center' Was decorated highly for some reason. He looked into the store and saw a sign that might change his life to the extreme.

'World Famous Guitarist Dave Mustaine guitar signing, come in and meet a legend here at Guitar Center'

Shinji decided not to walk in, He was about to walk back home, but just as he was about to press play on his I-Pod...

"Hey Shinji!"

Fate slapped him in the face leaving a brush on his conscious, He turned around to See Touji and Kensuke. His eyes lit wit a slight pain, His feelings about haven't really been great since Asuka's breakdown, they wasn't exactly aware of what was going on with her. All they know was that she's gone away for now.

Infact the only people that did know was, Rei, Hikari who swore not to tell, Misato and with her NERV, and himself.

"Where you been it's like you've been avoiding us all week..." asked Touji, He then laughed looking at Shinji.

"I bet the Red Devil called this week, something about attempting to rip out your heart or something..." He said.

"Yeah, probably scared Shinji Shitless..." Said Kensuke with a slight growl. Shinji just sighed, looking away from them with a slight look of disgust. because they did not know the condition of Asuka, they teased her as if nothing happened.

"She didn't say anything guys just chill out okay?" He said showing off his new demeanor. Touji looked at him with a confused stare. "Dude you just say chill out?" He asked in totally and utter confusion on what just happened.

"Yeah why?" Said Shinji. Kensuke looked at Shinji with a scratch of his head as he and Touji smiled. "No reason..."

They then looked at the sign in the Guitar Center to see the sign about Dave Mustaine and gasped.

"Dave Mustaine is signing, this is amazing I have to meet him he's just awesome!" Said Kensuke, Touji then frowned looking at his friend. "I told you, It's worthless man He's probably all stuck up and then He's this overbearing metal head..." They then looked closely at Shinji again seeing what he had on his back. "Shinji is that a guitar?" Shinji looked at them with a strange expression his eyes peering into them.

"Yeah I got it from some guy..." He stopped for a quick second to find a correct story. "From a Garage sale, said he didn't need it anymore..." He said with a quick smile. Touji and Kensuke looked at each other and smiled. "Do you play?" They asked, Shinji simply nodded looking at them with a smile they looked in awe and amazement. "So your showing off a little more for the girls at school huh?" He said showing off a quick smile in order to get Shinji's blood going.

That didn't happen, Shinji turned to him and smiled back at him. "Not really, just playing to learn..." He said, He smiled looking into the building with one eyebrow up looking at Kensuke. "Who's Dave Mustaine?" Asked Shinji in wonder, Touji and Kensuke looked at him, theirs eyes widening shocked that Shinji a guitarist has never heard of him."Only one of the Leading American Guitarist of the world He and his band Megadeth are one of the original four thrash metal bands."

"Thrash Metal...I thought there was only progressive?" He said with a slight confused face. Touji looked at Shinji with a smile. "You have a lot to learn buddy, here let's go in..." They then pushed Shinji into the familiar store with not regret on Shinji's Shyness and unwillingness to go in. Then seeing the people pack in like and quickly running off with their signed guitars Shinji looked in shock seeing the kids run off in glee. "What the...is this guy that famous?" Shinji asked.

Touji looked at him with a strange face, Did he really not know Dave. "Have you been living under a rock man?" He asked. Kensuke looked at him with a smile seeing the CD rack. "Hey Here's some of his CD's..." " Said Kensuke, Shinji looked at him and saw a repeating Pattern with the First Three he grabbed, They all had the Same Skeleton on the Cover, his eyes covered, his mouth nailed shut and his ears plugged Shinji instantly got the message inside of the Skull.

"Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil..." He said to himself. He then grabbed Two of the CD's Peace Sells...But Who's Buying...and Rust in Peace. They then ran back in line to see that they was next. Kensuke began to go nuts in glee. "Can you Believe it...we're about to meet Dave Mustaine man...this is sick dude?" Said Kensuke.

Touji just frowned attempting to tell him to calm down, Shinji drew them out of his mind, not trying to hear their bickering.

Then the final kid ran off with his signed guitar, The stooges instantly noticed and walked in front, suddenly Shinji shyness returned in an instant as he instantly looked down. "Hey kid what's your name.." The Man said. Shinji then looked up with a slight Frown. "Shinji Ika..." Shinji stopped looking at the man, Red hair, brown eyes pale skin.

The man then looked at him back as the both saw each other. "It's YOU!!!" They both said.

Indeed it was, the same person who gave him the guitar was the exact one who is about to sign his guitar.

"Seems we meet again Shinji..." He said looking at his hands seeing the cuts and callouses. "I didn't think you was actually going to play it..." He said with a smile, Shinji then smiled rubbing his hand in the back of his head. Touji and Kensuke looked in shock, confused at what happened. "You KNOW Dave Mustaine?" They said in unison Shinji smiled.

"Yeah he gave me his Guitar..." He said unzipping his guitar bag quickly and giving Dave the Gibson Les Paul, Dave looked at it and smiled. "You play Progressive Metal don't you?" He asked. Shinji looked at him with a confused face. "How did you know?" He asked. "Your using my Pickup with nickel plated strings, that's a Metal guitarist, and judging from your classical profile Progressive Rock should be easy for you to progress to..." He said.

Kensuke looked as if he was about to hyperventilate taken aback by the whole experience. "Oh my god you struck gold Shinji Dave sold you his guitar at a Garage Sale?" Ken said with a smile, looking at the Guitar "Do you know how much this is worth man?" Dave looked at him with a strange frown confused at what Kensuke said. "Dude I GAVE this to him at The Mental Institution...remember self admitted myself from exhaustion and anxiety..." He said Showing Shinji his release forms again.

Touji and Kensuke now looked at Shinji tapping their foot at him with a strange frown. "A Looney Bin Shinji...what was you doing there..." Shinji said nothing looking back at Dave with a smile on his face. "So I guess you have to sign my guitar?" He said with a quick smile Dave nodded with a slight smile as he grabbed the Guitar and began to sign it giving it right back to Shinji. "It was great meeting you again, God knows This is not the last..." He said, Shinji then walked off with a quick smile walking off, Kensuke and Touji following him he has a lot to say.

"Why was you at a Looney Bin?"

This has been going on for the last 15 minutes since on his way back from the store, he wished that Misato left the car so he could drive it, Rather than having to deal with them at this point, he did not want to answer the question.

"Asuka probably drove him mad and he had to go for the sake of not killing her..." Said Touji Kensuke following up with a laugh.

Shinji ignored it he was actually getting quite agitated over the whole situation, especially what they are saying about Asuka. He attempted to put his earphones, not wanting to hear anymore of the Asuka bashing.

"She probably laughed at him when she visited...That wretched bitch..."

Shinji groaned again attempting not to listen to his rather oblivious and ignorant friend about the whole situation. He again attempted to reach for his headphones desperate not to hear what they are saying. Shinji felt a pain of guilt as they said that, the feeling of hate when people spoke of her like that.

"She probably did one of the guards just to get in the Facility..."

That did it for Shinji...Hearing Touji said that was the breaking point Shinji did something that was totally so out of his character. He clenched his fist and slammed his fist into Touji's face, Touji quickly stumbling onto the ground as Shinji did so. Shinji fist stayed clenched seeing Touji move his jaw to see if it was broken. Looking at Shinji who was looking at him with the eyes of a murderer looking for vengeance for the people who done wrong to him.

"Shin-man...what the..."

"Asuka is not that damned heartless...She the one Sitting in their driver herself crazy, and your out here with all of your freedom and happiness while she is literally destroying herself...and it's my damned fault..." He said, He then began to break down, he dropped his guitar and leaning onto the wall of an old building, he then leaned himself down onto a wall as he began to cry.

Touji and Kensuke looked in shock, the words from Shinji all replaying in their mind; they looked down at Shinji with a heavy guilt ridden in their soul. "Whoa...Dude I didn't know I..." Touji looked down his brain fried from the information that has been told to him. But Shinji by this time had totally lost his cool.

Kensuke swore he saw fire in the young Ikari's eyes, He attempt to speak again but Shinji quickly interrupted

"Just shut up…I'm going home by myself…don't catch up…" He said running off tear in his eyes. Kensuke and Touji looked at their friend in concern.

They was not aware of what exactly they did to him, and how much it hurt, They looked at each other in complete and utter confusion.

Did they really just did that to Shinji, and the bigger question, when did Shinji begin to care about Asuka, Touji and Kensuke sighed. "I think we just messed up…" They both said to each other

Misato sighed opening the door to the house, It was quite the week at NERV, being the new Commander was not what she had in mind so much meetings, and paperwork, and plus all of the American's attempting to pick her up. To say that it was not what she had planned for her weekend was more than an understatement.

She walked in the living room and turned on the light, she looked at the floor surprised at what she saw at what she saw.

Shinji was on the couch his hair covering his face, a frown crept onto his face, she was shocked to look down near the couch to see a Gibson Les Paul, being a Kid in the 80's Hair metal was in and instantly recognized the guitar type, She then walked slowly to him, careful not to wake him up from his peaceful slumber and picked up his guitar. She then saw the Autograph from Dave Mustaine and smiled.

'Time is the only healer of pain, hope this is helping time pass by faster,

Let God be with you

Dave Mustaine'

Misato smiled at this, she heard of the Thrash Metal guitarist many times before while she does not know him, she knew that he was a overall nice guy. Shinji face quickly turned to a smile as his I-Pod began to bang a song through his eardrum looking leaning into the couch his cheeks completely exposed, Misato giggled slightly resisting the need to kiss the cheek, She simply walked away going into her room. Closely looking at the Song that was Being played it seemed that Shinji looks up to Dave a lot more now.

Megadeath

Peace Sells

Peace Sells…But Who's Buying

**A/N: You will not see Dave Mustaine again, I swear to god...I just needed to give him a great way to go, and Shinji's music exploration, You see I am trying to establish the Music Shinji listen to because I want his musical growth connected to his psychological growth, slowly he will get less and less shy as the times goes on and with more music he listen to, and it will slowly begin to affect Asuka.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: SAT Prep has been dogging me for the last few days…Because of that I have not been able to update…I'm Searching for a BETA reader I Would totally appreciate if you will BETA read my story. I was also waiting for Scar Tissue to update and haven't even been on for a while...I'm really into that story and would love to make a reference to it in either this OR any other fic I do...**

**Disclaimer: All Characters Belonged to Their Respective Owners, I own nothing of this fan-fiction, nor am I paid for writing it**

No Leaf Clover

Chapter 3

"Shinji what the hell are we watching…"

Shinji looked at the complaining Misato from his perch from his chair in the living room, Misato was frowning on the couch wearing Daisy Dukes, which seem to show a slender legs a bit more than what Shinji was usually used to, and a loose Grey T-shirt, that hung from her shoulders showing a bit more cleavage than what was needed. She stood up looking at Shinji with a tired and annoyed face, This was her two week vacation…TWO WEEKS, Ever since she took over NERV She only had about maybe an hour break…This was a miracle to her, she did not expect to watch a bizarre acid trip of a movie at home.

"Eh…I thought you were a fan of Pink Floyd Misato…Don't you remember The Wall…"

It's been like this, for the past two weeks every other Wednesday, Shinji would find some strange rock show or movie on TV and tune in without a care in the work usually blanking people out as he listened luckily No songs was on yet, and So Misato was actually being listened to at least for now, She looked at Shinji as she began to drinking her usual can of Beer, She turned to Shinji with a curious face and frowned.

"Since when did you listen to Pink Floyd?"

Shinji shrugged not answering the question, Not that he would, The Second Part of The Wall Began to blare from the speakers of the TV, Shinji closed his eyes slowly his bangs from his hair covering his face. Shinji have not cut his hair for the past two weeks, which left it a little more ragged than previously his usual white shirt was ragged and unbuttoned with carelessness. One part of Misato was worried about this change and wanted to talk to him about it, while the other part saw that this was his way of coping from the outside world.

She smiled at Shinji who had just opened his eyes to look at his watch, he nodded and got from the couch with a healthy yawn and smiled, looking at Misato, He then grabbed the key and walked to the door, Misato looked at Shinji with a questionable face drowning herself on the couch the AC Blaring in her face keeping her from become a sweaty ugly mess. She then decided to speak wondering what his response would be.

"Where are you going Shinji…"

"Just for a drive…see what I can see…Also I do need to visit Asuka Today"

Shinji was become good at hiding his own emotions, In reality he was just attempting to forget what had transpired Yesterday, He did not think that doing that would feel so good.

Flashback

_"Asuka probably drove him mad and he had to go for the sake of not killing her..." _

_Touji spoke with no regard of the person he spoke of. Kensuke followed up with a laugh, Shinji's angers rising more and more as the laugh hung in the air. Shinji ignored it he was actually getting quite agitated over the whole situation, especially what they are saying about Asuka. He attempted to put his earphones, not wanting to hear anymore of the Asuka bashing._

"_She probably laughed at him when she visited...That wretched bitch..."_

_Shinji groaned again attempting not to listen to his rather oblivious and ignorant friend about the whole situation. He again attempted to reach for his headphones desperate not to hear what they are saying. Shinji felt a pain of guilt as they said that, the feeling of hate when people spoke of her like that. Especially in the condition she's in, He closed his eyes attempting not to..._

"_She probably did one of the guards just to get in the Facility..."_

_That did it for Shinji...Hearing Touji said that was the breaking point Shinji did something that was totally so out of his character. He clenched his fist and slammed his fist into Touji's face, Touji quickly stumbling onto the ground as Shinji did so. Shinji fist stayed clenched seeing Touji move his jaw to see if it was broken. Looking at Shinji who was looking at him with the eyes of a murderer looking for vengeance for the people who done wrong to him._

End Flashback

"Shinji…Shinji!!!"

Shinji snapped out of his sudden flashback His eyes snapping toward Misato, Thinking about why exactly Shinji would be staring into the infinite unknown that is the skies. She was leaning near the wall next to the door holding the keys to the car in her hands a giant sneer on her face, which was a great cover to what she was really worried about. He smiled grabbing the keys and laughed he then waved goodbye to Misato and stepped into the car without a pure second thought on the situation.

Meanwhile

_Hikari Horaki began to knock on the door of her boyfriend Touji Suzahara, Shortly after both being revived from the LCL, her and Touji quickly began dating. Though she loved Touji with all of Her heart she cannot seem to shake the events off that transpired when she was talking to Asuka about it, and How exactly it made her like she is now…But she instantly had no time to think about it as when the door to his house was finally opened she sat a very depressed Touji with a big giant black eye the size of a baseball. _

"Hey Hikari how's it…"

She interrupted Touji's half assed greeting and pulled him into his house not even asking her in. Touji looked in shock as she began to examine his eye closely, recently she has been studying medical in hopes of becoming a doctor, She would have actually guessed she would used her examination skills on Touji. Seeing that his eye was not infected in anyway She pointed at the eye and looked at Touji with a Stern face, A Face that if Touji was able to think right now he would probably be afraid of.

"Touji…what happened to your eye?"

Touji looked at her for quick second and decided to lie, Even if he did tell the truth, who would believe that Shinji Ikari, Mr. 'Sorry' Would ever hit Touji Suzahara the school jock and local tough guy. Not only would nobody believe him but he will be the laughing stock of the whole city if they did. So he looked at Hikari with a quick smile and began his attempt at a lie.

"I was hit with a baseball?"

He was not very good a this, First of he said it in more of a question than an actual statement. Secondly when he did say it He said it with a rather squeaky rat voice, and finally, He didn't even look Hikari in the eye when he said it, case in point, He completely failed at lying, especially to Hikari, who was now looking down with an angry face and suddenly pulls on his ear, a slight anger can been seen through he fiery eyes and sexy yet almost as scary frown.

"Touji Suzahara…you have 10 seconds to tell me exactly what happened…"

She said it in a booming voice that put Asuka to shame, it scared the crap out of him, and that is not something Hikari was able to a lot of times. He then slowly began to lift his lone finger up. Wondering if he should tell her or not again, This time in the fear of actually being attacked he caved, oh and he caved harid.

"It was Shinji!!"

Hikari said nothing looking at Touji with a confused face, Thinking that those words did not just come out of his lips, Her cheeks began to turn red but not from anger, not by a long shot, She was trying to hold in her laughter, a slight cackle coming out of her cheekbones now and then losing the fight to not laugh at every single moment.

And finally as expected she caved, She burst into laughter, not being able to hold it in any longer, Touji sighed knowing that Hikari wouldn't take it seriously, and why should she, They we're talking about Shinji Ikari, The boy who would probably say sorry to his kidnapper for yelling too loud. Touji looked at her not really surprised on how she reacted to this moment.

"I'm serious…"

Hikari looked in plain shock, Shinji actually clocked Touji, one of his best friends, There was just no pure reason. Touji then began to remember why Shinji attacked him, He always egged on about Asuka, in his opinion she always deserved it, But hearing what happened to her yesterday and Shinji. He then looked at Hikari again with a serious and stern face, He got up and held onto her shoulders letting out a giant shy.

"Shinji before he attacked me said something about Asuka being in a mental institution…do you know anything about this?"

Hikari being the friend that she was said nothing, but Knew that Touji obviously knew about Asuka's current condition. She sighed looking about the room sitting down. Her eyes filling themselves with sadness, and in some strange way guilt and sorry for what happened to her. She sat back down on the couch and sighed.

"Asuka has been in there for about...from this day six months has been in Peaceful Forest Mental Institution..."

Touji looked at her in not necessarily shock but concerned shock, Asuka as far as he knew was strong to the point of arrogance, Something must have literally must have broken her in order for her to do this. He looked over at Hikari with a stern face, that was still wondering, still confused at why Asuka needed to go to the 'looney bin' as he called it. Suddenly guilt began to clutter his soul, knowing that some of his teasing could have just made the situation a lot worse than it was supposed to be.

"What happened to her...I mean she just seemed so strong before..."

Hikari sighed looking down at her feet, She knew Asuka will be peeved about her telling what happened but It wasn't as if Touji already knew, plus for what happened to Touji, She think he deserved to know why, Shinji of all people DID sock him in the face.

"Well for what Shinji said it happened eight months ago..."

With Shinji

Shinji was driving through the city streets on his way to Peaceful Forest, his brain raking itself on many things, His attack on Touji, and the events that caused it. He couldn't really blame Touji for thinking that but Shinji, being the first one to actually see her in this condition, felt that he needed to defend her actions. He could never forget seeing her like that....

Flashback

_Shinji was just finishing the rest of dinner, White rice and curry and pot stickers, one of his favorite meals to make, Misato was currently in the showers and Asuka was again crawled in her room, Which had him slightly worried, Asuka would usually be out here at least to see him cook, but for the past few days she's been silent, He tucked his feelings in for now and turned the heat on the oven down He then yelled to the bathroom._

_"Misato Dinner!!!"_

_Before he could even blink she came running from the bathroom and almost shoved him out of the way, Which Shinji was not surprised about, She acted like this alot during dinner, Hell he almost found it funny, he got up and dusted himself off chuckling to himself softly. He then walked towards Asuka's door and knocked, No answer, He began to knock again but louder, still nothing, He then decided to open the door, and gasped quickly, shocked at what he saw._

_Asuka a shell of her fomer self standing on her computer desk, the noose tied to the light fixture in the room, her wrist a downward spiral of scars, Her shirt gone leaving only her bra and her school shorts, Shinji did not take any time to react he quickly ran to to her grabbing her from off her chair and clencing on her body, careful not to hurt her delicate frame. She then began to pound on his body, angry and confused, she was attempting to shove Shinji off of her but to no avail._

_"Asuka...what's wrong..."_

_Asuka responded with fury by attempting to pound on him more and more but seeing that they was in no effect, She just begins to cry on Shinji's shoulders not sure exactly what to do Shinji decided to hug her tighter. Secretly not wanting to let go, He was still shocked and stuck at what was happening, Just seeing Asuka in this frame was just...unexplainable._

_"Shinji what's going..."_

_Misato walked into Asuka's room with a quick gasp seeing the rope and the scars on her wrist, She looked in horror as she ran to Asuka, hoping to try and help._

_"Asuka...are you okay...Hang on I'll call a doctor..."_

_She ran out of the room at a breakneck pace attempting to find the phone. As Misato walked out, Asuka began to struggle on words before finally saying._

_"Stop it...stop protecting me..."_

End flashback

Shinji stopped the car seeing that he was in front of Peaceful Forest Mental Institution, He sighed looking at the entrance it just continued to reminded him everyday of that fateful day. It saddened him to see someone he admired no...loved in such a confused and in her sense weak state. He really wished he knew how to help, really he did so, but he found the best he could do for her was be there. He grabbed his guitar bag and stepped out of his car and began to walk inside when suddenly Asuka's counselor walked from the building with a rare yet stern smile he literally yelled as he began to speak to Shinji.

"Mr. Ikari...I'm Asuka's Counselor would like to speak with you for a quick second?"

Shinji nodded at Asuka's and began to stroll inside the building the nurse automatically clearing Shinji seeing the situation. He let out a depressed sighed thinking that he was going to tell him bad news. The Counselor let Shinji to an office labeled Dr. Uzumaki opened the door showing a rather messy office, on his rosewood desk was a picture of a bubblegum pink, short haired female with green eyes a suitcase in her hand, she was wearing a black work dress and black stocking, Dr Uzumaki was behind her hugging her by the waist, a smile upon her face, It was obviously his wife. Dr. Uzumaki then looked up at Shinji with a smile and shrugged with a giant grin on his face.

"Onto Asuka's condition..."

Shinji nodded gulping slightly to get ready for the bad news, Ruffling his hands through his rough hair, while perfectly washed, His hair has not been cut for months. He was about to get a mean surprise, Mr. Uzumaki grin got slightly lower but he still kept it.

"Asuka's condition is improving..."

Shinji looked up in shock, Asuka is actually doing better, was she still talking to herself was she still violent? So many question, Which as he guessed Dr. Uzumaki was about to answer. But there is not any good news without and slightly bad news.

"But she seems to still be resisting to talk to us...but her violent tendencies are greatly reduced, she actually beginning to talk to the people around here..."

Shinji looked at him with a nod and a stern face, He was glad that Asuka was doing fine but it seemed that she was still unable to open her feelings to others, Hiding behind her walls yet again. He was saddened to actually think that but that's what it seemed. Dr. Uzumaki got up from out his seat and picked up his clipboard, turning around toward the door, Shinji followed him into Asuka's room, they walked slowly their feet making very little noise compared to the people roaming the hallways the socialization between the other paitients, a constant distraction of Shinji, his lack of attention was suddenly halted when Dr. Uzumaki began to speak.

"It's very obvious you care about her...if there was more guys like you this world would be alot better off."

Shinji only nodded, finding himself standing in front of Asuka's door, He stared intently into the door as if it was his own worst enemy Dr Uzumaki then nodded ruffling his yellow sunburst hair seeing that Shinji was mentally ready to see Asuka, He then walked off looking at Shinji with a stern but concerned face.

"I hope just as much as you do...that she get's better."

Dr. Uzumaki walked off, leaving Shinji to his own, Shinji began to hesitate for a second afaird to see Asuka's face, It was weird to be away from her but as he got closer he felt, confident and safer, he wasn't sure what it was or why, but he just felt so...powerful so ready for anything that came in his wake, He used this confidence and took a deep breath to open Asuka's room door.

The room was no longer a mess as it was the last two weeks, It was clean and it smelled of Asuka natural raspberry scent, The walls were the same color but was illuminated by the afternoon sun. He then turned around to see Asuka who was sitting in a chair, writing in a book, which was probably a diary of somewhat She was now wearing a yellow top and blue jeans, her hair seemed to be perfectly washed and smelled of her same raspberry scent. Asuka looked up at Shinji surprising him with a smile.

"Shinji...Your here..."

Shinji was surprised to say the least when Asuka gave him a hug; it was shocking to see her like this well seeing how she was lately. She was smiling if not beaming at Shinji, her face seemed a lot more vibrant and her eyes while still tinged with sadness was returning to their beautiful ocean blue color.

"Yeah I am…you seem to be…"

Asuka put her hand in his face turned away; Silencing his before he could even began to speak. She then turned her face toward him Her Burgundy brown hair swaying beautifully as it reflected off of the Afternoon sun, looking solemn and confused to say the least, This look was strangely shared by Shinji at this point having no idea what to do at this point he decided to wait for her to speak.

"I don't want to hear about my condition, I just want to go outside today, and I need someone to come along…So baka are you up for it?"

Shinji cringed hearing those words again, not only because he didn't like it, but because she could tell she was acting she was still slightly in pain, but from what exactly he was not sure of, He nodded hearing her request, she suddenly smiled. She then stepped toward him her hands behind her back as her smile grew wider, bringing her face out more as the light from the outside door shone into her face.

"Great well let's get going!?"

She ran toward the door with a quick smile, grabbing her wrist with a slight tinge of pain but just as much joy, He smiled as she began to drag him toward exit of her room Shinji had no choice but to stare at the people looking at him, The other patients seems to not care much, which was predictable, They had their own problems to deal with, But the abundance of nurses, Male and female stared in awe, some giggling as they stared at the two, He was not sure what they was smiling about, but he was sure it had something to do with a rumor mill around here.

Asuka opened the door that led to the exit of the Institution and into the rather giant outside area, The area was almost like a grove, Various Trees and shrubs, laid out the rather peaceful scenery, While the rather small waterfall gave the area a bit more ambiance, She sat down in the grass with a slight smile on her face, Her hair catching the breeze softly as the winds began to blow softly near them. Shinji took this chance to sit down, The grass suddenly feeling his heart speed up, Wondering what was going on with him.

"So when did you learn to play?"

Shinji looked up as Asuka asked that question, The question overall came out of the blue and was, well in his case unexpected, and was a little difficult for him to even fathom. But he began to answer looking down slightly as he did so, his old shy ways returning slightly as he began to talk to her.

"Three weeks now...I've learned a few more things but...Nothing really impressive..."

Asuka smiled as she laid down on the grass her slender legs slung to the ground with such elegance it was difficult for Shinji to not notice, He said stationary as Asuka closed her eyes, Lifting her legs up slightly to cross them together, Shinji blushing as he seem the two legs cross, Her slender legs in full view, His heart was racing as he continue to look at the sight.

"Pl..something..."

Shinji looked up to her face as Asuka said that, Taking his googly eyes off of her legs for that slight second not being able to hear her. She looked at him with an scowl, The classic angry Asuka scowl returning for the slight second.

"I said play something Baka Shinji..."

Shinji looked up in slight panic as he saw her angry face he did a simply nod, He grabbed his Guitar and sighed, Taking the Portable Amplifier from his Backpack He Plugged his guitar in deciding NOT to play unplugged this time, He was going to like showing off his distortion skills, But he was just going to tease her, playing her a bit of a sample still slightly shy it was a simple chord progression, That was still rhythematic and a little more Stylish, He then progressed into a quickly as Asuka looked in awe.

She noticed his changes instantly, His hair was untidy yet strangely attractive, his eyes was full of confidence it never really had before, His fingers slowly along the fretboard with so much smooth transitions it was surprising to hear his strangely rough, Playing style it was slightly shocking yet completely beautiful, It was a simple practice chord obviously but it was still played amazing well.

As He finished the rather quick one minute song Asuka stood looking at Shinji with a sigh, It was amazing to hear, she felt empowered as she listened to the song. She lifted herself up and stretched out her slender arms lifting up in the air as she smiled.

"That was...good..."

Simply blushed as he heard her say this, This was actually his first compliment about his guitar abilities, He felt a sudden urge of pride, joy and a strange feeling that he could not completely rectify at this moment. He then proceeded to put his guitar, back into his carrying case, He was about put his amplifier back into his bookback when.

"Why do you come here?"

She asked that unanswerable question again, Shinji then looked at her with a sort of smile not really sure how he came up with the answer or why, but he just sort of blurted it out.

"I like seeing you smile..."

Asuka looked at him with utter confusion, She extended her index finger upward attempting to ask another question when suddenly a buzzer was sound. It was time for Shinji to go, He sighed as Asuka looked in confusion, She knew what the buzzer was, but wasn't needing of Shinji to leave She crawled to him slowly as His foot moved, he smiled not seeing her attempting to grab his legs turned back kneeling down at her with smile.

"I'll see you later..."

Asuka looks in shock as Shinji walks back into Instituion, Seeing him as a beacon of her strength, She smiled suddenly seeing him leave the area. She began to wonder about what happened to Shinji

'This must be real...'

A/N: I do not Like this Chapter...I think I tried to hard to find a good storyline With Shinji and Asuka while still adding Everybody else added in, and I think I made ASuka to OOC, I do not want her to seem so...weak...I might retype this later...I'm very busy with SAT Prep and, Attempting to move out of my parents house...there is just so much things to do...But I will continue the story...Well as long as You guys keep reviewing...


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